The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti:
On July 25, Administrator Samantha Power arrived in New Delhi, India to advance the United States’ partnership with the Government of India and the Indian people, and reinforce India as a critical global development leader in addressing urgent global challenges, including food insecurity, the climate crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Administrator Power first met with Parameswaran Iyer, CEO of the National Institution for Transforming India Aayog, the Government of India’s public policy think tank, to discuss our collaboration across sectors to drive and sustain development outcomes around the world.
This morning, on July 26, Administrator Power met with civil society representatives to discuss freedom of expression, speech, identity, and the importance of protecting the rights of minority groups. The Administrator underscored the United States’ continued commitment to work with civil society organizations around the globe to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Then, she joined Indian agricultural experts and private sector leaders to learn how the United States and India can apply climate smart and sustainable solutions to address the global food security crisis, which is further exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Potential areas of engagement would focus on optimization, through training and providing reliable information to small holder farmers, addressing food wastage through the construction of adequate cold storage facilities, and maximizing yields through the efficient use of fertilizer and irrigation techniques. Administrator Power also visited an urban community that benefited from an innovative water ATM, which provides safe, reliable, affordable water for hundreds of families in the area.
In the afternoon, Administrator Power met with key Government of India leaders, including Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India P.K. Mishra, Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, to reinforce the U.S. and India’s long history as strategic partners and collaborators across development issues including food security, climate change, and adaptation through mechanisms such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and digital development. They also discussed the region and the importance of India’s leadership, and U.S. support, to Sri Lanka through this economic crisis. The Administrator underscored our joint commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and partnering to address remaining development challenges in India, Asia, and around the world.
Administrator Samantha Power Travels to India
